SRI PURI DHAM MAHATMYA-MUKTA-MALA

(28) Dispatching Damodar Pandit

As you all know, sannaysis never take children on their lap or play with them. Why not? Because if you pet children, it creates a desire for a material family life. Guru Maharaj could not stand seeing this. We do not wish to insult anyone, but we cannot displease our guru.

Mahaprabhu knew that some were 10% devotees, some were 20% devotees, some were 50% devotees, and some were genuine 100% devotees. He could see through all His associates and understand them very well. So, He knew that Damodar Pandit was a very simple-hearted devotee, and one day He decided to test him, ‘I wonder if he is going to say anything to Me if I do something wrong.’

In Puri, there was a small boy who liked visiting Mahaprabhu from time to time. Mahaprabhu started to show him affection – He would give him some sweets, some prasad, and so on; and all this time He watched Damodar Pandit to see what he was going to do.

When Damodar Pandit saw it, he did not like it at all. He thought, ‘Mahaprabhu always teaches others by His own example, and if anybody sees this, what are people going to say?’

So, one day, Damodar Pandit beckoned the boy and told him, Listen, why do you always come here? Do not come again from tomorrow.’

The boy got scared and complained to Mahaprabhu, ‘Prabhu, that uncle always scolds me and tells me not to come here.’

Mahaprabhu understood everything. He knew why Damodar Pandit did it, but He still chose not to say anything, and He told the boy that he could still come.

A few days later, Damodar Pandit could not bear it anymore. He came to Mahaprabhu and told Him openly, ‘Prabhu, please do not take my offence. You always pet this boy, I know why You do it, there is nothing wrong about it, but how can one stop people’s mouths? If people see it, they will criticise You and go to hell. Please tell that boy that he must not come here from tomorrow. He is a good boy, but You know that he has a mother, and she is a beautiful young widow. People’s minds will go in a bad direction. They will wonder, “Why does Mahaprabhu pet this boy so much? He must have some relation with his mother.”’

Mahaprabhu thought to himself, ‘What is this? I am a sannyasi, and he is a brahmachari – a brahmachari is teaching a sannyasi?’ Then, He replied to Damodar Pandit, ‘All right. You are the right person! I have one service for you. Take Lord Jagannath’s prasad and some new clothes and please bring them to My Mother in Mayapur. Ever since I left, I have not sent anything for her, so you please go there. Whom else can I trust to do this?’

Why did He say ‘the right person’? One day, I asked Guru Maharaj about it, and he explained it. Is there only Sachi Mata in Mayapur? Who else was there at home? Vishnupriya Devi. She was a young girl, so Mahaprabhu could only send there somebody whom He trusted. That is why Mahaprabhu sent Damodar Pandit.

This is Mahaprabhu’s teachings – we must accept and follow them.

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